Every year, September brings the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. It’s the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. It goes without saying that it is an incredibly important cause to all the residents, staff and family members at Bridges by EPOCH at Hingham, as well as everyone whose life has been affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Team Bridges participated in the walk at Plymouth’s Pilgrim Memorial State Park on Sept. 21.
Over the past 20 years, I have participated in numerous Alzheimer’s walks in many different states. It’s always heartening to see so many people rally together in support of this worthy cause. This year’s walk was particularly special, as some of the residents from our Bridges community joined us.
During one of our monthly resident council meetings, we were planning our walk and fundraising opportunities. We asked if any of the residents wanted to participate in the walk this year, and five women immediately exclaimed, “I do!” Some said, “I want to walk because I have memory impairment,” and others said, “I want to walk for my mom who had Alzheimer’s.” These five fiery women were adamant about walking for their own cause.
But all of the residents contributed to the Alzheimer’s Walk in their own way. Over the summer, we held several fundraising events the residents immersed themselves in. We held a car wash fundraiser in June, and our residents excitedly helped wash cars, run the lemonade stand and sell cookies. Many others baked delicious treats to sell at our bake sale. They helped raise $460 at the car wash and nearly $500 in just two days with the bake sale. Between these resident-driven fundraisers and the support of our sponsors, we raised about $1,500 altogether for this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
We were blessed with beautiful weather on the day of the walk, and the participating residents were enthralled by the hustle and bustle of the event – the banners, flowers, vendors and people of all ages. They lit up like light bulbs to see all the effort put forth to fight Alzheimer’s. The sheer history of the place enthralled them as well, being right at Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower. The park kick started their memories – which is always a positive sign – and they reminisced about all the times they visited the park with their families.
Every year, September brings the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. It’s the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. It goes without saying that it is an incredibly important cause to all the residents, staff and family members at Bridges by EPOCH at Hingham, as well as everyone whose life has been affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Team Bridges participated in the walk at Plymouth’s Pilgrim Memorial State Park on Sept. 21.
Over the past 20 years, I have participated in numerous Alzheimer’s walks in many different states. It’s always heartening to see so many people rally together in support of this worthy cause. This year’s walk was particularly special, as some of the residents from our Bridges community joined us.
During one of our monthly resident council meetings, we were planning our walk and fundraising opportunities. We asked if any of the residents wanted to participate in the walk this year, and five women immediately exclaimed, “I do!” Some said, “I want to walk because I have memory impairment,” and others said, “I want to walk for my mom who had Alzheimer’s.” These five fiery women were adamant about walking for their own cause.
But all of the residents contributed to the Alzheimer’s Walk in their own way. Over the summer, we held several fundraising events the residents immersed themselves in. We held a car wash fundraiser in June, and our residents excitedly helped wash cars, run the lemonade stand and sell cookies. Many others baked delicious treats to sell at our bake sale. They helped raise $460 at the car wash and nearly $500 in just two days with the bake sale. Between these resident-driven fundraisers and the support of our sponsors, we raised about $1,500 altogether for this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
We were blessed with beautiful weather on the day of the walk, and the participating residents were enthralled by the hustle and bustle of the event – the banners, flowers, vendors and people of all ages. They lit up like light bulbs to see all the effort put forth to fight Alzheimer’s. The sheer history of the place enthralled them as well, being right at Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower. The park kick started their memories – which is always a positive sign – and they reminisced about all the times they visited the park with their families.
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s traditionally begins with an opening ceremony, where people share their personal stories about Alzheimer’s. Some talked about their own struggle with Alzheimer’s and how it affected their own life; others talked about caring for a loved one or spouse; and still others talked about what it’s like working in a memory care facility. Every year, these stories are touching and reinforce the importance of advancing research, enhancing care and support for those affected, and reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s. Our residents were particularly moved by these stories and listened with undivided attention.
Team Bridges walked the 1.2-mile loop. Although our residents were pretty beat by the end of it, they felt a strong sense of accomplishment. From our residents who walked to those who helped fundraise, everyone felt proud knowing they had participated in something that could help find a cure or advancement for Alzheimer’s.
Over the course of my 20 years working with the memory impaired, it has been wonderful to see Alzheimer’s care and research become a growing national concern. Last week, just days before our walk in Plymouth, the federal government announced its largest grant to date for Alzheimer’s prevention studies. And many other grants have been awarded this year and last to support research efforts.
Alzheimer’s is an insidious disease, affecting 5.4 million Americans, not to mention all the caregivers, family and friends of people with Alzheimer’s who are also hurt by the disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in eight baby boomers will develop the disease, and it’s the number six leading cause of death. I have hope that efforts like the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and research grants will continue to grow, bringing the disease out of the shadows, and increasing public awareness of the need for continued research, support and care.
Alicia Seaver is the executive director at Bridges by EPOCH in Hingham. She has 20-plus years’ experience in senior care and is certified by the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Association as an Alzheimer’s/dementia trainer, support group facilitator and memory impairment specialist. She studied psychology at Springfield Technical College and Manatee Community College.
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